Piano Basics
Before you start building fancy chords, fills, and patterns, there are a few simple things you need to know about the piano. These lessons will help you understand the keyboard, your hands, basic movement, and the terminology you'll hear throughout Piano Chops.
Build the Foundation
Work through these in order if you're brand new to the piano, or jump to the topic you need if you're brushing up on the basics.
Posture & Hand Position
No ruler-smacking here. : ) But sitting well and using your hands correctly can make playing easier and help prevent unnecessary tension.
Posture on the Piano →Find Middle C
Middle C is one of the main reference points musicians use when talking about where to play on the keyboard.
Middle C on the Piano →Know the Notes
You don't want to stop and calculate every note every time you look at the keyboard. Learn to recognize them quickly.
Notes on the Piano →Whole & Half Steps
These are the basic distances we use to build scales, chords, melodies, and almost everything else on the piano.
Whole and Half Steps →What Do My Hands Do?
Your right and left hands can have very different jobs depending on the style and musical situation.
Roles of Your Hands →The Sustain Pedal
Learn how to connect your playing without turning everything into a giant muddy mess.
Sustain Pedal Basic → Training IntermediatePlay in the Right Area
One of the fastest ways to improve your sound is simply learning where chords should live on the keyboard instead of playing too high or too low.
Chord Around Middle C →Using the Transpose Button
Yes, the transpose button can be useful. Learn what it does, when it helps, and — very importantly — remember to change it back. 😄
Transposing the Keyboard →Don't Camp Out Here Forever
These fundamentals matter, but the goal is to make them automatic enough that you can move on to chords, scales, ear training, and actually making music. Learn what you need, practice it, and then keep moving.